Nearly three decades spent working with Lake County’s water resources have given Cathie Catasus plenty of opportunities to combine environmental stewardship with community service.

The 55-year-old serves as a program manager for Parks and Water Resources with the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. She has worked in Water Resources for nearly 30 years and also owns a small event planning business.

“I am passionate about helping others and educating about the environment,” Cathie says.

One of her proudest professional accomplishments is founding the Lake County Adopt-a-Lake Program. The program involves residents in protecting the environment by collecting water samples and removing litter from shorelines.

As a Lake County employee, Cathie says she has spent nearly 30 years testing local waterbodies, identifying areas of concern and taking part in efforts to restore lakes for current and future generations.

Her environmental work has also included 30 years of laboratory experience in chemistry, microbiology and water quality. Early in her career with Lake County, she served on the Basin Working Group for the state’s first Basin Management Action Plan in the Upper Ocklawaha Basin.

Cathie also secured an EPA Environmental Education grant that brought nearly $31,000 to local schools and programs. Her work included coordinating organizations, guiding teachers, planning student events, developing surveys and completing the final EPA grant report.

Her service extends well beyond her work with the county.

Cathie serves as president of Trout Lake Nature Center and volunteers with her certified therapy dog and volunteers at AdventHealth Waterman.

She also serves for the Country Greens Community Development District since 2011 including as chairman since 2020. In 2024, she graduated from Leadership Lake, where she served as class secretary.

“I would have to say wanting to make a difference in my community has been my greatest influence on my leadership journey,” Cathie says. “Participating in the Leadership Lake program in 2024 was also very inspirational and informative.”

Her interest in volunteering began much earlier.

“My ‘who’ would have to be my mom,” Cathie says. “When I was a child, my mom would volunteer at my school in the lunchroom and the library. She would volunteer to chaperone field trips and help out where needed. Her example showed me how to give back to others.”

Most recently, Cathie founded Lake County Community Volunteer Connections, an initiative designed to connect local organizations with people looking for opportunities to volunteer.

“By establishing Lake County Community Volunteer Connections I am facilitating getting the community involved by providing a resource to find out about volunteer opportunities,” she says.

Her advice to the next generation of professionals and community leaders is simple.

“If you see a way to make a difference — do it! No matter how big or how small!”